Dennis pleased with play of inexperienced ’JacksCoach says team ’played hard and played to the end’ in 7-0 loss to Owls

WYE MILLS  Three of his players had a combined one game of collegiate experience, but Mark Dennis thought his newcomers played well Thursday afternoon in Chesapeake College’s 7-0 men’s soccer loss to Harford Community College.

"Dionte (Edwards) had never been on a soccer field before our last game and this was Te’von’s (Curtis’) first game," said Dennis. "And that’s the first soccer game he (Ben Mortimer) has ever played in goal. I thought all three really played well."

Dennis was pleased with his entire squad, which consisted of the minimum 11 players for the Harford game.

"It’s rough playing without subs against a talented team like Harford," said Dennis. "But our guys played hard, they played clean, and they played to the end. They were still trying to score right to the end  they never quit."

Harford substitute Chris Cheelsman scored twice for the Owls (5-3 overall, 5-1 league), who also received goals from Chris King, Saidu Sankoh, Jack Hadley, Glenn Grove and Gus Palma. Owls goalies Christian Vito and David Bush shared the shutout, needing to turn away just two shots by the Skipjacks (0-5, 0-5), who were outshot, 19-2.

Mortimer, who plans to walk on to the Chesapeake men’s basketball team, did his best to keep the Skipjacks in the game. He came up with 11 saves, many of them spectacular, in his net-minding debut.

"I’d never played soccer in my life," said Mortimer. "My buddy’s on the team, and it’s an opportunity to get in shape for basketball. I had big shoes to fill (regular goalie Mace Davis, who couldn’t attend Thursday’s game) and I didn’t want to let the team down."

The Skipjacks’ next game is 4 p.m. Friday at Howard Community College.